LWSF announces Reach for Success Grant recipients

The school year ended with the Lake Washington Schools Foundation (LWSF) announcing its grant recipients for the 2019-20 school year. LWSF has pledged more than $350,000 in classroom grants and district-wide programming funding to support students, families and teachers in the coming academic year.

According to a press release, one of the foundation’s longest running programs, Reach for Success classroom grants, calls for innovative ways to enhance or expand the Lake Washington School District’s (LWSD) curriculum. This brought in creative ideas such as The Battle of the Books Program, a collaborative grant involving students at nine middle schools in the district; a social-emotional learning program for elementary students where students will learn empathy, self- discipline, and embrace diversity; and a middle school drama production whose goal is to encourage self-expression and leadership.

“Having the ability to fund and support district-wide and multi-school programs, like The Battle of the Books program, is something that the foundation has a unique ability to do” Nancy Colburn, LWSF trustee and Reach for Success Program chair said in the release. “We love supporting creative and innovative approaches to education that are specific to the needs of each school’s student population.”

LWSF awarded funding for 18 classroom grants across several LWSD schools for the 2019-20 school year.

“What a great way to start my summer! I’ll start the planning and preparation right away!” wrote Yash G. in response to her awarded grant for bilingual activity classes in English and Hindi/Marathi, where the program’s goal is to create inclusion, acceptance and equity across different cultures.

Michael Clark, principal of Norman Rockwell Elementary School, was also pleased to learn that a grant was awarded to his school.

In the release, he said, “This is such outstanding news, thank you. What a wonderful way to end the school year.”